This invention relates to a portable separator device, and particularly one for separating panel units from one another.
Sections of insulated glass are typically formed by the stack process, wherein sheets of glass are laid up, with alternate pairs of glass sheets being separated by marginal strips. When a pair of sheets and the interposed stripping is sealed around the edges, a section of insulated glass is produced. Such a section is herein called a panel.
In the stack process, rather than trying to seal the edges of the inchoate panels individually, it is more economical to do it all at once. Thus a plastic sealant is painted or sprayed onto the entire surfaces of the four sides of the stack to completely cover them. When the sealant dries, the resulting film not only provides the proper seal at the edges of the panels, but inadvertently bonds the panels to one another at their parting planes. At present, the panels are separated by manually running a razor around the stack at such places. This is a time-consuming and expensive operation.
I have overcome this problem by providing a portable separating device which can be taken from stack to stack to do its job. At a desired stack, it is simply placed onto and supported by the top of the stack. It has opposed, vertically staggered stack-engaging pads so located that when the device is actuated, they are moved relatively toward one another to grip the stack and apply a shearing force to the top panel to shift it relative to the remainder of the stack an extent to rupture the plastic film at the parting plane between the top panel and the next lowermost one. The grip of the device is then released and it is lifted off. Then, the top panel is removed, and the device applied to the next lowest panel, and the separating step repeated.
More specifically, I have provided a portable panel separator having a beam of a length to horizontally span a stack, and equipped with a pair of feet to support it on the top of the stack. At one end, the beam has a stack-engaging pad which is so vertically located relative to the supporting surfaces of the feet, that the feet dispose the pad in alignment with the associated edge of the top panel, but above the lower panels.
At its other end, the beam has an actuator, such as a piston and cylinder unit. The piston rod carries a second stack-engaging pad which is so located relative to the supporting surfaces of the feet, that the feet dispose the pad next to the side of the stack at a level below that of the top panel.
When the cylinder unit is actuated the second pad is forced horizontally against the panels below the top one. This pulls the first pad against the associated edge of the top panel, so that the pads apply a shearing action to the stack. Since the resistance to movement of the top panel is less than that of the next lower panel, the entire device, except for the piston rod and its pad, shifts horizontally relative to the stack, carrying the top panel with it. The amount of movement need only be sufficient to rupture the seal between the top two panels. The device is then lifted, the top panel removed, the device replaced and the operation repeated.
The main object of the present invention is to provide a device facilitating separation of a stack of panels which are secured to one another by a film or layer at their edges.
A more specific object is to provide such a device which is portable, and particularly one that is readily adjustable for different thicknesses and sizes of panels.
The subject matter which I regard as my invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. The invention, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with further advantages and objects thereof may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the following drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like elements.